The Portland daily press., 1887-10-21
the pIRICoS HAPPY.
They Win the Four-o AIRED Race and
the Championship.

+ The four-oared race, the last of the series
OF three between the Dirigos and Cumber-
lands, was rowed yesterday, and proved to
be as exciting as either of the former ones.
The fact that each club had won one of the
previous races added to the interest, both
feeling that the result of this race would
decide the question of superiority. The
wind was blowing quite hard early in the
forenoon and it looked as though it would
be too rough to row, but about 40 the wind
went down and the men were told to gel
ready by Referee j. A. Kennedy
The Dirigos appeared first, the crew being
Davis Dow, Randall. Flaherty. MCGEE,
lstroke). They were quickly followed by the
Cumberlands, Clearey (bow), Morgan, Dun
ham. Frates lstroke). The Cumberands
rowed their paper boat, while the Dirigos
an old cedar boat that the famous Long.
shore crew had so often rowed to victory. II
had been rugged with all the Davis improve
ments, and the crew said they would try &c
keep upher record of always coming in
first.
After Messrs. Frank Buckley and NJ. FL.
Myers, the judges at the finish, had been
landed at State street wharf. the men were
quickly got into line. at 4.53 the word go"
was given and both crews caught the water
well together, the Cumberlands having q
slight advantage. Away they sped, both
crews straining every nerve, and going at q
pace which would have worried the best pro.
fession al crews. The Dirigos were rowing
40 strokes per minute and moving like clock.
Ra If hair
though they seemed TO get much speed from
1t, was ragged ard uneven. and it was evi.
dent that they could not keep it up for two
miles. The Cumberlands kept increasing
the lead which they took at the start until
at Union wharf, they had about a boat
length. They began to steer wild about
there, and leaving their own course
rowed over towards the Dirigos.
1t looked as though there would be a foul.
but before one could occur they discovered
their mistake and headed for their own stake
boat. The Dirigos reached the turn first
and when both crews had headed for the
finish were half boat length in advance OF
their opponents. The Cumberlands rowed
over into the Dirigos' water, and crossing
behind them kept close to the wharves in
order to get the benefit of the slack water,
as the tide was running out. They were
rowing ragged and their boat rolled consid.
erably, showing that they were very tired
The Dirigos were still rowing with clock
like regularity, and 1t was evident that they
had the race well in hand. They kept in
creasing their lead until at the Union boat
house they had two lengths of open water.
The Cumberlands made squirt when off
Smiths Wharf and closed up the gap which
separated them from the leaders, and when
they crossed the finish line were two and q
half lengths behind the Dirigo crew, who by
winning this race won the series and made
their club happy.
This series of races has been good thing
Tor amateur rowing. and the races have all
been SO close that it is almost as much credit
to the losers as to the winners.
The Dirigos will celebrate their victory by
grand ball in City Hall. November s, al
which they hope to see all their friends.
No time was taken, as the official time
keeper got SO excited over the closeness OF
the contest that he forgot all about the time.